Nigeria and the urgent need for "servant leadership"

Alaba Abdulrazak

Nigeria is without a doubt one of the richest countries in the world. In human and material resources, our dear country is endowed with abundance.

Yet Nigeria is today one of the poorest countries in the world.

Nigeria ranks 20th among the world's other economies with a projected GDP of US $ 2318 for 2019. However, in 1960, when Nigeria became independent, the international community made clear and even announced that three nations would emerge and join the community of nations such as the United States and Japan. . The countries mentioned are China, Brazil, India and Nigeria. Unfortunately today, of the four countries, only Nigeria has not emerged yet! India has emerged. Brazil has emerged.

China has not only emerged, but has become a global superpower. Unfortunately for us as a nation, Nigeria has not emerged and has not even laid the foundation for its emergence. The reason Nigeria has not emerged is -human! The essential thing for the greatness of a nation to emerge is human. This is not the amount of gold or diamond you have, nor the amount of oil and gas you have. Not even the amount of cocoa, palm oil, cotton and rubber you have. It is the human element that is part of the leadership. The human element in Nigeria is only 4% and the material is 96%. The 4% did not manage to gather the 96% of the material elements to make us grow. In Japan, only 2% are material resources and 98% of human resources. It's the same thing in America and even in Europe. So the problem that concerns us as a nation is that the human is human and that leadership is the essential element of the human element. Leadership is very, very important. Look at how Malaysia has emerged. Look at how all Asian countries have emerged. China has emerged. Singapore emerged from the 3rd world country to 1st best. Nigeria could have been the same, but unfortunately, leadership has been the cog in the greatness of his country.

Leadership is undoubtedly a very big challenge in Nigeria. Having a competent, efficient and determined leadership capable of transforming its highly pampered potential into real economic and political power has been hard enough for Nigeria to achieve. This is why today we are not making any progress.

However, the crucial solution to the Nigerian leadership problem is to have "servant leadership". Servant leadership is a secular concept, a term used vaguely to suggest that the leading role of a leader is to serve others, especially people.

In terms of modern leadership challenges, Lao Tzu's concept of "responsible servant" could be a solution to the problem of leadership in Nigeria. The name Lao Tzu may seem familiar in your high school history clbad or in your introduction to philosophy clbad at the university, but the life lessons and maxims that make you think are worthwhile. 39 to be re-examined at adulthood. The three lessons from Lao Tzu – all from Tao Te Ching – give us a better understanding of Lao Tzu's successful leadership. They hold as well in 2019 as when he wrote them around the fifth century before our era.

Lao-Tzu writes about servant leadership in the fifth century BC J.-C .: "The highest type of rulers is the one that people are scarcely aware of.The Sage is erased and few words.When his task is accomplished, things are over, everyone says:" We reached it ourselves! "

What is happening in Nigeria is best described in the words of W. B. Yeats in The Second Coming: We Are:

"Turning and turning in the widened gyre; The hawk can not hear the falconer; Things are falling apart; the center can not hold; Simple anarchy is loosed on the world. Really, things are falling apart in Nigeria and the center probably can no longer hold. That is why anarchy today threatens the foundation of our existence as a nation. Today, the theory of vulgar individualism and badistic corruption has triumphed over the political firmness and insight of the country's leaders. The incorruptible reputation and integrity for which President Muhammadu Buhari was previously known is in decline.

It is sometimes in these situations of political, social and economic uncertainty that an active leadership must be at the height of the situation. Lao Tzu said:

Do not look at yourself and you will see a lot. Do not justify yourself and you will be distinguished. Do not boast, you will have merit. Do not be proud and your work will last.

And in another text of his colossal works, Lao Tzu educates us as follows: The evil leader is the one the people despise. The good leader is the one the people revere. The great leader is the one to whom the people say, "We did it ourselves."

Antonio Francesco Gramsci, Italian Marxist philosopher and communist politician, also said: "All science and the art of politics are based on the overriding fact, in that there really are leaders and rulers directed and directed ". Supporting his thought, it will be necessary to determine how one can direct as efficiently as possible; how leaders can best be prepared to be leaders and how they can distinguish lines of least resistance from rational lines along which they must proceed to obtain the consent and admiration of the ruled or governed.

Respect and obedience must be earned and solicited. The understanding of this principle and its strict observation by those in charge of directing are necessary. This distinguishes a true leader from those who think they are bigger than the country and the people who elected them to power. By honoring the history of what has brought us together as a nation and the future of the country we seek, we need "servant leadership".

Leaders can not expect compliance and obedience to be automatic, and their decisions and actions to be followed without question.

Service leaders must be accountable to their leaders and in doing so, accept public scrutiny, but not personalized insults, and be prepared to explain their political actions and inactions at all times, instead of hiding. behind conspiracy theories.